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Message: [QUOTE="brasssbonanzaa, post: 1229891, member: 794"] I'm very skeptical of Flug's comments. I can see other current non-hockey B1G teams coming in, but an outsider, not really. - The only one that makes sense as new full-fledged all-sport member is UConn. We all know ND is not going, neither is BC. I don't think he's talking about us in that comment. And I don't see us joining as a hockey-only member, and there's absolutely not reason the B1G would offer that to us. If they're looking for a hockey-only associate member there are many, many better options. Not meant as a disrespect to UConn hockey, but the move would make little sense. That'd be like the B1G adding Duke as a football-only member - completely nonsensical. - Similarly, BU would not leave Hockey East unless it was a package deal with BC. Both were invited to the NCHC when it was forming. Both laughed the conference off the phone. - Arizona State theoretically could, but it'd be a weird status as they'd be an associate member. I suppose it's possible, but it'd be 100% irrelevant to other realignment. - Cornell 100% absolutely positively will not go, don't waste anymore time talking about it. Ivies don't leave Ivies. - Buffalo: No. It will not be another startup program unless it has a HUGE financial backing and already has a brand name, such as Arizona State. The B1G hockey conference is having an abysmal year right now, they're at risk of being a one-bid league, and while PSU has been respectable, is not yet a strong program, and Michigan State and Wisconsin are going through very, very rough periods in their history right now. I cannot see them taking on more dead weight in the conference. - The one wild card I can think of is North Dakota joining as an associate member for hockey only. A huge program, enormous fan base, good for TV, major existing rivalries with the Gophers, Badgers, and Michigan, and I know they're not entirely happy with the NCHC. Again, this would be a 100% irrelevant move to realignment more broadly. Seven teams doesn't work, so they'd need to add at least two. Let's suppose his information is correct, my guess would be ASU and NoDak. I do not think in this case he's talking about UConn. If he obtained information that UConn was aligning with the B1G, I can't imagine it would be in the context of hockey, even with him being a Gopher, it just doesn't add up. The more I think about it, ASU/NoDak would be quite logical for them if ASU doesn't want to go NCHC. [/QUOTE]

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